Thailand arrival card: the TDAC, and when to file it

The free online arrival card, the 3-day window, and the confirmation to keep on your phone.

By the Local SIM Thailand team, checked October 2, 2026

Illustration: a passport and a phone showing a plain form beside an aircraft window, a coastline of islands below.

The short answer

Thailand's arrival card is digital: the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, TDAC, filed free at tdac.immigration.go.th within the 3 days before you arrive, by air, land or sea. Every non-Thai arrival needs one, and each card covers a single entry. Transit passengers who stay airside and Border Pass holders are exempt. It is not a visa.

TDAC: tdac.immigration.go.th, filed within the 3 days before you arrive.
Free on the official portal; Thai embassies warn about sites that charge to file it for you.
Every non-Thai national files one, children and infants included, and each card covers a single entry.
Exempt: passengers who transit airside, and travellers entering on a Border Pass.
Not a visa: entry rules depend on your nationality and are checked separately.

Checked October 2, 2026

The card, and the sites around it

	Where	What it costs
The TDAC	tdac.immigration.go.th, within the 3 days before arrival	Free
A second entry in one trip	A new card, filed again before the return	Free
Look-alike sites	Copy the form and add a charge	Not official; embassies warn against them

The TDAC
Where
tdac.immigration.go.th, within the 3 days before arrival
What it costs
Free
A second entry in one trip
Where
A new card, filed again before the return
What it costs
Free
Look-alike sites
Where
Copy the form and add a charge
What it costs
Not official; embassies warn against them

Good to know (Before you go)

The three days
Filing opens 3 days before your arrival date, and the card can be completed until you reach the immigration counter; doing it at home, on a calm connection, is the easier way.
The QR code
The confirmation email carries the card as a QR code, and it can be printed or shown on a phone at the checkpoint. Keep it on the phone, not only in the inbox.
No device, no data
The embassy lists airport Wi-Fi and TDAC kiosks at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Hat Yai for travellers who file on arrival.

The bottom line

Illustration: a hand holds a phone showing a QR code beside a jasmine garland and a small globe.

7 days · 15 GB · US$8.88

The confirmation and the boarding pass both live on the phone: save the PDF or a screenshot, and land with data for everything after the counter.

Buy on VietSIM

Questions

Is there a Thailand arrival card?

Yes, and it is digital: the TDAC, filed free at tdac.immigration.go.th within the 3 days before you arrive, by air, land or sea.

Is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card free?

Yes. It is filed free on the official portal, and Thai embassies warn travellers about other sites that charge a fee for the same form.

Do children need their own TDAC?

Yes. Every traveller needs one, children and infants included, and a parent or guardian files on their behalf; the form has an Add button for travelling companions.

Do I need a Thailand visa, or is the TDAC enough?

The TDAC is not a visa and cannot replace one; whether you need a visa depends on your nationality, as the Royal Thai Embassy says. Check the rules for your passport before you book.